


Guardians

by catsaremyboyfriend



Series: Asexual Snuggle Buddies [12]
Category: Hawkeye (Comics), Marvel (Comics), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Christmas, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-26
Updated: 2014-12-26
Packaged: 2018-03-03 16:13:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 718
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2856998
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/catsaremyboyfriend/pseuds/catsaremyboyfriend
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff"><p>i did say there would be a christmas fic and also should i start putting these into chapters cause there's a lot of them</p></blockquote>





	Guardians

“What are you getting Kate for Christmas?” Nat asks while they’re playing Mario Kart. He’s kinda surprised she’s speaking, actually. Nat takes Mario Kart very seriously. 

“Why, do you need tips for Darcy?” he asks, not mocking, just curious. The first and only time he teased Nat about her relationship she conveniently “forgot” to pack any snacks for him for their next mission. “Christmas isn’t my thing, Nat. You know that.” 

“You’re right. I’ll ask Steve.”  
_____________________________________  
Clint hates Christmas. Always has. He watched other kids get presents, get pie and cards and love, while Christmas for him was maybe, _maybe_ his dad wouldn’t hit him. At the foster homes, it was trinkets. Nothing special. Just enough to remind them that everything they got was charity.  
In the circus, it was better, a little bit. Maybe a brownie tossed his and Barney’s way. Kate likes it, though. Neither of them are religious, but she likes the peace and love idea.

They all go to Stark Tower, where Tony gives lavish gifts and acts like he doesn’t care that he finally has a family. Pepper hands out gifts that are perfect and unexpected. Nat and Darcy hand over ridiculous gifts like Unicorn Meat in a Can.

Thor gives out objects from Asgard that are beautiful and confusing. Bruce is quiet, always gives small, useful gifts-socks, personalized mugs. Bucky and Steve pretend to still be stuck in the forties and give out small gifts like Tutti Frutti gum. Clint lets Kate handle presents.

He and Nat sneak into Tony’s lab and festoon his suit with ribbons. When they return, Cap has his head in Bucky’s lap. He’s a little loopy from Asgardian mead, pressing candy cane magnets to Bucky’s metal arm. Thor and Darcy are chatting amicably in a corner while Tony talks rapidly to Janet, hands gesticulating wildly.

Bruce watches them all, like always, the scarf Darcy made for him around his neck. Kate and Pepper are laughing together, toes bumping. Kate smiles and waves him over, patting him on the thigh when he sits down. “Merry Christmas, Clint.” 

“Merry Christmas,” he says, actually meaning it.  
___________________________________  
They’re fighting the Sinister Six and something goes wrong, Kate’s voice getting choked off over the comms. Clint can’t remember the next five minutes, he just runs. Kate looks small lying face down in the middle of the street, arms at her sides. Kraven stands over her, spear raised. Clint’s too far away, screaming “No!” when Hulkling appears out of nowhere and punches him through a building. 

Clint sprints to her, slides to his knees so fast that the concrete scrapes. His hands are shaking, he’s nothing without Kate, he’s _dead_ without Kate, gun to his temple and trigger pulled. He turns her over and she’s grinning, smug.

“Did we get him? Hulkling and I came up with that plan weeks ago. We call it the Broken Arrow.” He pulls her close, hears himself breathing harshly into her hair. She smells of dust and dirt, but not blood. “Clint?” 

He keeps breathing, in and out. “You’re fine, you’re fine, you’re fine,” he repeats, and she grabs his hands. 

“Of course, you know I was faking!”

“No, I didn’t,” he breathes, putting a hand to her pulse.

“It was at the briefing!” 

“I never go to the fucking briefings, Kate.”

Her face crumples. “Oh my God, you thought…Oh, Clint. Honey.” She pulls him close, hugs him tight. 

“Tell me, next time,” he murmurs, squeezing hard. 

“Yeah, Clint. Yeah, of course.” He presses their foreheads together before he stands, notching an arrow. 

“Well alright then. Let’s go kick some ass.”  
______________________________________  
“Clint.” He grabs a fruit packet and tosses it to Kate, eyes never leaving the screen. She opens it, hands him the purple ones. Kate hates anything grape.

“How did you know she wanted that? You two are so queer,” Bucky says, putting his feet in Steve’s lap. 

“Hell yeah we are.” Kate giggles.

“Are you telepathic?” Cap asks, rubbing at the back of his neck and wincing. There was a nasty fight today with Magneto. 

“More like telepathetic,” Bucky grumbles. 

“Buck,” Cap says, smirking. “Use your nice people words.” 

“But I’m not nice people, doll,” Bucky drawls, grinning at Cap. Cap gives him the fondest look Clint’s ever seen and laughs.

**Author's Note:**

> i did say there would be a christmas fic and also should i start putting these into chapters cause there's a lot of them


End file.
